


(Bitter)sweet

by Kircheis



Series: Once upon a time, there were stories (Ignoct Week 2018) [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Baking, But somehow it has a happy kind of ending, Ignoct Week, Lot of inner thoughts, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2019-03-15 01:26:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13602684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kircheis/pseuds/Kircheis
Summary: Sometimes the smallest things you expect the most can be the most surprising.---Written for the 1st Day of Timed Quests for IgNoct Week 2018.





	(Bitter)sweet

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mystica17](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystica17/gifts).



_It started out as a business._  


_"Nothing personal,"_ Ignis' 10 years old self would professionally say to himself while carrying large pile of different types of recipe books through hallway of Citadel.

After all, he was Prince's caretaker and advisor ( _and the one tasked with "standing by King Regis' son and guiding him through life")_ and it was expected from him to give Noctis proper wishes.

Also, it gave the impression of good excuse to make raven haired boy eat something healthy once in a while.  


_(He knew King loved his son so much that he couldn't stay immune against the puppy eyes boy used as a defense mechanism every time his plate adorned some kind of vegetable._

_Ignis on the other hand would have none of it.  
_

_And he was sure once Noctis would thank him for not allowing Prince to destroy his own stomach. Oh, what a bright future waited for him.)_  


Carrot cupcakes seemed like the best idea to go with - the preparation appeared to be easy and the ingrediencies were pretty common.  Recipe stated that the taste of carrot was so mild you could barely notice it - and the word 'cupcake' could disguise actual healthy things in promise of the sweet sugar Noctis likes to stuff himself with.

It took a while to talk the head Chef of Citadel to lending him kitchen and helping him.  
But Ignis became a Strategist of the group for something. His rise to the top might have been including a knowledge of pulling certain strings to get what you want since childhood.

In the end it turned out the magic phrase had to include words "Prince Noctis" in it.

 But even after first successful step, man persisted on staying there all the time. His eyes never left boy’s back, digging a hole to it - as if afraid that Ignis would do justice to his name, setting something on fire accidently.

_Well. The process..._

Ignis would love to say it was as simple as reading about it in book. That his theoretical knowledge prepared him for the horror of carrot being everywhere else but not in the pastry.

But let's be perfectly honest, a word used by his audience for his first cupcakes was " _Royal Mess_ ".

 

But Noctis…

 

He eyed the cupcakes curiously as Ignis offered them.

“You made them? For me?” He looked at other boy surprised.

“For your Birthday, Your Majesty.” He sighed and fixed his glasses, looking at sad pile of what was supposed to be a dessert. “Although I absolutely understand if you rather refrained from eating it. I apologize-“

To Ignis’ shock, Noctis didn’t hesitated for a mere second, reaching out, stuffing his mouth with cupcake.

"Thanks, Specks!" He grinned.

Huge smile and sparkles in those bright blue eyes were enough of motivation for Ignis to try the cupcakes next time too.

 

_It became... Tradition through years._

 

Each year one cupcake. 

Each year small improvement.

From professional duty something Ignis was looking forward to.  


Children became teenagers; more recipes filled the notebook of the green-eyed man.

And no matter how annoyed and complicated Noctis and his relationships with people around him seemed during these times (and how much his hatred for vegetables grew), he would show at least small sign of smile to Advisor, always accepting the cupcakes.

Time flew by.  
The adulthood caught up with boys shaping them into men. Sorting their emotions, making their worlds clearer.

At this point, Ignis would probably lie if he said it was the first time he noticed where his feeling for the Prince headed. He was a bright man, always one step ahead.  
It wasn’t the first time these feeling surfaced to his attention, indeed - but it was the first time he admitted that something has changed in his relationship towards Noctis.

He still cared for him, still guided him as best as he could. But not only because King asked him to, now.  So why then? Because he wished to do it, because the Prince wormed his way into Advisor’s heart…?

_But would Noctis return such kind of feelings?_

He dismissed these thoughts. It was not his place to think of Noctis this way. It wasn’t his play as a part of Noctis’ destiny. No matter how sour it tasted in his mouth, he had to step aside. 

_It will stay that way forever._

He placed a plate with cupcakes on the table, smiling slightly as the memory of the grin raven gave him every time he received these small cakes crossed his mind.  
  
_Yes, he knew his place._

_But least once a year, he could have Noctis for himself. Their tradition would remain same.  
 That small gesture - it was enough. _

He fixed his glasses and sighed.  


_He was a selfish man, after all, wasn’t he?_

*** * ***

Ignis asked that himself a lot, especially during their road trip. The plan with staying the way they were didn’t exactly go as imagined. Seems like every strategy he used in case of raven haired prince got different turn than expected all the time.

_Distance yourself._

Instead, he and Noctis became closer. That kind of closer the Council would consider inappropriate and exactly that one type of closer because of which Strategist wouldn’t be able to look into Regis’ eyes properly.

To be honest, it took him a while - to allow himself to be happy. To push the worries into back of his mind.  
But Noctis seemed satisfied too.

_It would be alright._

_That was also the moment,_ Ignis later realized, _he allowed himself to get lost._

Lost in days too prefect, in days they seemed to own.

_That lost he even forgot about one small thing…_

* * *

 

The World of Ruins wasn’t kind to anyone. Darkness swallowing lands, people succumbing to their darkest thoughts. Ignis engaged himself in helping others, bringing himself to the brink of exhaustion – just to not think.  
Sometimes he thought it would be easier to be in Prompto’s or Gladio’s place - not knowing if their Prince – no, King - returns back.

_Not knowing that even after he returns, he will need to –_

Strategist shook his head. After he almost collapsed the other day, his friends insisted on him taking few days off. They wouldn’t hear his protests.

_And now, he was alone with his darkness._

  
He stood up carefully, leaning against kitchen counter. This wasn’t right, letting himself to be swallowed by such kind of thought. He _needed_ to get himself occupied somehow (and not killing himself in progress by tiring would be very welcomed. Specks was a wise man and knew for sure that Gladiolus would hunt him even to Afterlife if he tried that).

_Maybe he should…_

Ignis traced fingers on furniture. Advisor hasn’t cooked since he lost his sight in Altissia. It’s not like he didn’t try it - but memories caught him by surprise, the moments that seemed so beautiful once turning into painful pictures behind his eyes. So he distanced himself from it.

_It was maybe a cowardice speaking but it hurt less._

 He frowned.

_Cowardice…_

He clenched his fists.

 _No. Ignis Scientia was everything but coward._  
_Hiding before truth and ignoring the facts wouldn’t change what was written in the stars._  
_He couldn’t stop functioning as an adult because the reminiscences of past haunted him._  
_Man had to face them._  
_They would just come back full force sooner or later anyway._

He sighed.

 _Noctis will return. He will reclaim his throne and fulfil the destiny of the True King._  
_And he… He will stand by him, lending him strength if needed._  
_As his Advisor, friend… and something more too._

He turned around, opening one of the cupboards.  
He should start with things he remembered by heart.  
Something small and easy. So he minimalizes a mistakes and there would be little to none waste if anything goes wrong.

His frown turned into soft smile.

Maybe he had an idea.

_It was time to move on._

*** * ***

They were sitting at the edge of camp. Their last night together. Gladio did a good job of keeping Prompto away - as he was much better at reading atmosphere than blond – so they could talk.

_Oh and they did, indeed._

He wanted to follow him so much. But… Noctis made his peace. It was time for Ignis to do the same. Maybe the handshake and accepting of the memories was the start.

_“Why stop now?”_

_… Indeed._

He excused himself for a moment, feeling Noctis’ curious eyes on his back -just to return with a small plate with a only slightly bigger carrot cake to match it.

“Ignis…” Ignis couldn’t help but smile over the surprise in Noctis’ voice.

“Happy Birthday, Your Majesty.”

“Iggy, it’s Noct.” He corrected him but chuckled. “You remembered even after so many years.”

“Well, I figured out it would be rather nice gesture to welcome you back. Although my cooking isn’t the same as 10 years ago, I -…”

“Ignis, it’s perfect.” Prince laughed softly, taking the plate from Advisor’s hands carefully. “Remember how I tried to cook once in the high school? Nothing can be worse than that.”

“Your victim was a frying pan. Burnt down to the ashes.”

“Yeah… And you saved my ass back then. _Again._ As always.” Even after such a long time, Noctis sounded a bit embarrassed. A silence stretched between two of them for a while.  
 Raven haired man lifted the cupcake, inspecting the cupcake. “You know, I’ve figured it out a long time ago.”

“What it is?”

“That you wanted to stuff me with vegetables secretly?” He snorted. “But you know, I was  happy that you actually thought of me and genuinely cared. Not just because I was a Prince. It felt… nice. ”

Now it was Ignis’ time to look surprised. Noctis cocked his head to the side.

 “Don’t tell me you didn’t find out.”

““No- I…” Ignis fixed his glasses out of habit. ( _To be honest, he did it always when someone caught him by surprise. But to admit it? That was another story.)_ He sighed. “ It’s nice to hear that. But the pleasure was all mine.”

_Always._

“But, I’m still not a fan of vegetables, you know.”

“I’ll try to keep that in mind for the future, _Noct_.”

Raven laughed silently and leaned against advisor’s shoulder, his hair tickling other’s jaw. A gentle gesture, yet it meant so much.

“Future, huh? Until we meet again…. then?”

_A words that promised a new possibilities. Not the end of it all._

Ignis smiled and nodded.

“Until we meet again.”

* * *

 

The Light came back. The Prophecy of the Chosen King was fulfilled. The stories of Noctis Lucis Caelum would travel far and wide, spreading the songs of his heroic actions. Giving people hope that they can rebuild this world. But that was a different story.

Our story takes place in Lestallum. It was half a year after Noctis’ sacrificed himself, maybe a bit more. Well, one day would certainly give away exact amount of time.

“Happy Birthday, buddy!” Ignis smiled as blond boy showed a small package wrap in paper into his hands. He wasn’t one to make fuss about his birthday, but Prompto, Gladio, Cindy and others _insisted_ on making at least a small party.

_To be fair it felt nice. Only if…_

He sighed. The shadow of sadness fell over his face probably, as he could literally feel the drop of the atmosphere.

“I… apologize.”

“There’s no need to, Iggy…” Gladio patted his shoulder gently. They all knew what happened - they weren’t stupid. Something nuzzled to Ignis’ side, interrupting his gloomy thoughts. “Huh? Seems like Umbra has something for you too.”

_For him?_

Dog placed a small present into Ignis’ hands.  
He frowned, inspecting it with his fingers.

_That shape…_

He quickly unwrapped it. A small cupcake with big pieces of – was that a… carrot? – fell into his hands. He could imagine it almost looked like if a child made it.

_Same as his first try._

He covered his mouth. Others looked at each other confused.

“Um, there is a note!” Prompto was the first one to interrupt the silence. Ignis looked after the source of the voice. Blonde took a small letter that fell out of wrapping to his hands, frowning. “Oh, there is just… ‘Happy Birthday. Next time it will be better, I promise.’ Huuh? Is that from some kind of friend?” There was a clear confusion in his voice. Advisor could imagine other’s faces too.

But he….

_Friend…?_

He cleared his troath. “Perhaps.”

“Iggy, c’mon! Don’t be so secretive!”

A warm filled Ignis’ chest. A flash of memory appeared in his mind.

_“Future, huh? Until we meet again…. then?”_

If he had any doubts before, this letter would burry them deep under the ground. Now he was sure, that night in camp and in Insomnia wasn’t the end of it all, not at all. He couldn’t help but smile.

_“Thank you. Noctis.”_

**_FIN._ **

**Author's Note:**

> If you feel sad, imagine Noctis trying to bake a carrot cupcakes for his boyfriend with Luna's and Regis' help in Afterlife.  
> We all know how it would end up.  
> Well. Royalty wasn't born for kitchens - Bless the Six, lifespan (haha, it has pan in it. I- I'm...sorry. I'll show myself out now) of pans in the Afterlife isn't limited.
> 
> 1st Day of Timed Quests of IgNoct Week 2018 is alive! I have a feeling that I'm the only one who actually went with Noctis' Birthday for most of the story - making a little twist with Ignis' B-day at the end. 
> 
> Also, yeah! Happy Birthday, Ignis, my boy! 
> 
> All the thanks and this story as whole is dedicated for the person with amazingly huge plot bunnies - @Mystica17, who helped me to come up with - new idea. Not Recipeh. I apologize. 
> 
> Unfortunately, due to time pressure, this fic isn't BETAe, but I promise I'll get to it, sooner or later. I hope you will like this at least a bit! Thank you for reading!


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